Beste Wundern Podcasts (2024)

1
BACHTOBERFEST: BWV 80 (Ein Feste Burg) with Eric Clausen 37:10

24d ago37:10

37:10

Our fourth season was the best year yet for our downloads. Thank you for your listenership! And we still welcome your listener "moments" of Bach as ideas for future episodes. For this season closer, we invite Reverend Eric Clausen, a Lutheran pastor, to help us unpack the background of BWV 80 (A Mighty Fortress Is Our God). The bold and powerful te…

1
Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (BWV 80): alto/tenor duet 30:03

1M ago30:03

30:03

Martin Luther, J.S. Bach, and Reformation Sunday -- this most Lutheran of all cantatas is our subject for today. "Ein feste Burg" was the battle-cry of the Reformation: "A mighty fortress is our God!" Bach's cantata weaves in all 4 stanzas of Luther's strong hymn. We marvel at movement 1 with its "dizzyingly complex counterpoint" (as Richard Atkins…

1
Geist und Seele wird verwirret (BWV 35): first aria 25:12

1M ago25:12

25:12

The organ, a sacred sound, gets an unusual role in this cantata for solo voice. We hear the organ leaping all over with a virtuoso part against violins and oboes and the alto soloist. There is no better way to convey the rich concept of the "confused joy" of the believer who witnesses miracles. In this cantata, which took place during the Sunday wh…

1
Komm, Gott Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist (BWV 667) with Katrina Liao 33:13

2M ago33:13

33:13

Organist Katrina Liao joins us to talk about one of her favorites, this chorale prelude that is crackling with spiritual fire. The off-beat bass at the beginning is a neat touch -- could Bach have meant to signify the Holy Spirit by focusing on the 3rd division of the beat? -- but, Katrina's favorite moment comes in the second verse, when the bass …

1
Italian Concerto (BWV 971): second movement 26:26

2M ago26:26

26:26

Why do we play games? Because they're fun? Or is it because they give us a sense of structure and a clear goal, a refreshing contrast to our real lives, which are messy, unpredictable, and complicated? In the same way, we listen to Bach to give a much-needed feeling of structure and clarity to our hectic, messy lives. But sometimes, he doesn't quit…

1
Fugue no. 4 in C# minor (Well-Tempered Clavier Book I) 23:32

2M ago23:32

23:32

An austere fugue subject here begins with a strange leap. To play this four-note opening on a keyboard is to outline a symmetrical structure, reminding us of the bare pillar that holds up the structure. Adorned on the structure are two faster, florid themes which enter later in this long piece. But our moment today is its ending -- a deceptive endi…

1
Liebster Gott, wenn werd ich sterben (BWV 8): opening chorus 18:51

2M ago18:51

18:51

Today we bring you 24 repeated notes on the same pitch. Can you think of any other Bach piece which features this special effect? Certainly this is unique in the orchestrational context here: a high-pitched recorder, beeping out a digital-sounding alarm clock noise. Or is it a bell ringing? We explore what this all means -- because, of course, with…

1
Der Herr denket an uns (BWV 196): duet (ending) 17:02

2M ago17:02

17:02

In his early twenties Bach produced this compact, delightful cantata, likely for a wedding. The text of the duet is still applicable in a religious school community: The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children. Bach saves a special effect for the last two measures, where a modern technique is used: from highest of highs to the …

1
Violin Concerto in D minor (BWV 1052R) 21:05

3M ago21:05

21:05

Bach proves his mastery of the Baroque concerto here, as in the Brandenburgs -- except this time, we don't have the original music! We do have a harpsichord concerto as well as an organ concerto version of the first movement (which is actually from a cantata)... but we do not have the violin concerto version, which scholars assume must exist. The r…

1
Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben: bass aria "Ich will von Jesu Wundern singen" 20:18

3M ago20:18

20:18

"I shall sing of the wonders of Jesus." The trumpet reflects the text purely before the singer begins. The oboes and violins join in and play off the trumpet, each finishing each other's musical lines. You probably know this cantata for its most famous movement -- two verses of what we would call in English "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring." But there …

1
Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit: "sanft und stille" 20:17

3M ago20:17

20:17

A hidden gem, a fully-formed masterpiece from a young Bach, a cantata unburdened by his later fascination with Italian-style recitative and da capo arias: it is the incomparable Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit. We look at this cantata for a third time (see season 1 episode 8 for the sonatina, and season 3 episode 15 for the soprano solo ending …

1
Fugue no. 2 in C minor, Well-Tempered Clavier Book I (BWV 847) 24:02

3M ago24:02

24:02

The famous C minor fugue near the beginning of the Well-Tempered Clavier expresses the emotions of sadness, loneliness, and melancholy, according to harpsichordist Masato Suzuki. Suzuki provides a sensitive performance with attention to articulate detail in the fugue subject. This, naturally, leads Christian and Alex into a comparison with race car…

1
Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut (BWV 199): middle aria "Tief gebückt" 28:22

4M ago28:22

28:22

Vivid and subtle, this cantata follows the spiritual journey of the soprano soloist who carries the weight of sin on her shoulders. The journey is one from darkness into light, and our moment, sent in by listener Dave, comes at the cathartic middle movement, where hope is found in patience. Soprano Julia Doyle delivers a heartfelt rendition of this…

1
Kyrie, Gott heiliger Geist (Clavier-Übung III; BWV 671) 25:04

4M ago25:04

25:04

On the last note of Mozart's "Kyrie eleison" in his requiem, he chooses a stark and intense open fifth instead of a triad. What happens when a composer finishes...not correctly? Is this allowed? When using old melodies which start and end on scale degree 3 (relative to major), Bach adapts this old Phrygian mode to his idiom, but this does create an…

1
Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (BWV 62) opening chorus 26:26

4M ago26:26

26:26

We take a suggestion from listener Bruce, and jump into the "other" Nun komm cantata, BWV 62. Yes, BWV 61 is admittedly the one we prefer, having talked about it several times on this podcast over the last four years. But sometimes it's good to shine some light on the facets of a hidden gem. The opening movement of BWV 62 contains multitudes. Nun k…

1
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (BWV 140): Zion hört (chorale) 36:13

4M ago36:13

36:13

Yes -- the famous one! One of Bach's most universal melodies, the melody in the strings opens a profoundly perfect setting of a verse of the hymn "Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying" in the central movement (4th of 7) in the beloved masterwork "Wachet auf" cantata. Here is the exceptional performance by the Netherlands Bach Society. Why does this ope…

1
O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort (BWV 60): "Es ist genung" (closing chorale) 21:26

5M ago21:26

21:26

In four notes, Bach reframes our idea about what is possible in common practice harmony. This is one of the weirdest moments of Bach, coming from one of the weirdest openings to a hymn tune. But as always, it makes sense in the context of the text. It even makes sense harmonically, as we see when the hymn tune closes on four much more normal-soundi…

1
O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig (BWV 656) 25:10

5M ago25:10

25:10

A textbook "moment" of Bach -- in a charming setting of the three verses of the German song "O Lamb of God, Most Holy," suddenly near the end of the third verse Bach finally heeds the text and shows us the strange despair we are praying for mercy to avoid. He employs several musical devices in this sudden moment: a change in meter, a suggestion of …

1
Air on the G String (Air from Orchestral Suite No. 3, BWV 1068) 26:53

5M ago26:53

26:53

One of Bach's most famous works, and one of the greatest melodies of all time -- this comes to us by way of an almost impossibly good performance/recording by the Netherlands Bach Society. By having the first violin part played by a section rather than a solo, they give Bach's wandering melody more purpose than it has in the famous version for solo…

1
Lobet den Herrn (BWV 230) 23:50

5M ago23:50

23:50

Did Bach write this? Many think not. It's brilliant nonetheless! We get into a talk about aspects of this motet which would or would not be hallmarks of Johann Sebastian. BWV 230 as performed by the Netherlands Bach SocietyVon Christian & Alex Guebert

1
Brandenburg Concerto No. 6: movement 3 16:39

5M ago16:39

16:39

This delightful jig closes out our miniseries on Brandenburg 6. Here we speak about the third movement's jumpy beats. and how these rhythmic anticipations give the whole piece a bouncy energy. Bach, the expert violist among so many other things, gives the two viola parts the most intricate material, playing off each other and passing along the musi…

1
Brandenburg Concerto No. 6: movement 2 24:57

6M ago24:57

24:57

Welcome back to our yearly miniseries on the Brandenburg Concertos of J. S. Bach! This is part two of three. Today we look at the languid and luscious slow movement of Brandenburg Concerto No. 6. Music is (often) a setup of expectations, and then the satisfying fulfillment of those expectations OR the clever subversion of those expectations. Bach i…

1
Brandenburg Concerto No. 6: movement 1 20:05

6M ago20:05

20:05

Welcome to our yearly miniseries on the Brandenburg Concertos of J. S. Bach! Here we jump into Brandenburg 6, delighting in the weirdness that results when Bach decides to omit violins, preferring a dark, low sound of violas, violas de gamba, cello, and violone. This brings us to some more examples across Bach's oeuvre, as well as some others by Br…

1
Goldberg Variations: 7 (canary jig) (part 2) 12:43

6M ago12:43

12:43

Today we return to the 7th of the Goldberg Variations, the "Canary Jig." We discuss that peculiar name, and then we get into some smaller moments. Soaring flares up the keyboard, surprising altered tones, and crunchy grace notes are all over. Pushing forward into the ending, a high note leads us to the finish. We discuss why the contour of the hand…

1
Du Hirte Israel, höre (BWV 104): bass aria 15:36

6M ago15:36

15:36

Just after Good Shepherd Sunday, we settle in to this comforting pastorale. Not the famous opening movement -- no, this is another beautiful sicilienne-type dance, a bass aria, in which Bach gives a masterclass on melodic writing in just 5 seconds of music. Melodic shape, sequence, pedal point, and effective parallel motion in triads -- these are a…

1
Goldberg Variations: 7 (canary jig) (part 1) 13:41

7M ago13:41

13:41

In our second look at the monumental Goldberg Variations, Christian selects the beginning of the sprightly and innocent "gigue" (jig), a particular dance set here for an interplay between two hands. The jaunty rhythm of the dance is rather uneven; this leads us into a discussion about how music is naturally not even in this way (and when it is, it'…

1
Chorale: Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier (BWV 469) 13:58

7M ago13:58

13:58

Just as the three wise men brought their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the young Christ, so also this trio brings their soprano voice, viola da gamba, and theorbo (a lute variant) as musical gifts.... and we, the listeners, are the ones who are lucky enough to receive these gifts. Here we discover the plain serenity of this original hym…

1
Mass in B minor: Sanctus ("Pleni sunt coeli...") 21:29

7M ago21:29

21:29

The Mass in B minor is a well which never runs dry; we return to it year after year, and this time to celebrate Easter Monday we jump into the splendid "Sanctus" section. Christian uses the fugue subject on the text "Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria ejus" (heaven and earth are full of thy glory) to describe one of the best text paintings in history…

1
St. Matthew Passion: "O Mensch, bewein" chorale fantasia (mvt. 29) 28:01

7M ago28:01

28:01

Here we do a full "Bach-n-talk" runthrough of the famous "O Mensch, bewein" chorale fantasia which ends the first half of the St. Matthew Passion, which happens to end on Alex's favorite moment. Join us as we unpack a moment of mode mixture here, at the choir's closing cadence. The borrowed minor modality gives the necessary spice to give a more co…

1
VIVALDI — L'inverno (Winter), RV 297: I. Allegro non molto 20:54

8M ago20:54

20:54

Welcome to a moment of something different for once! We take a momentary diversion from our regular programming to give you a "moment of Vivaldi." In Shunske Sato and the Netherlands Bach Society's rendition of Vivaldi's "Winter" of the "Four Seasons," Sato stuns with innovative solo violin timbres which embody the icy cold themes of the season. We…

1
Sonata No. 1 for viola da gamba and harpsichord (BWV 1027): mvt 3 24:47

8M ago24:47

24:47

In this gem of a sonata, played on an original instrument, Bach hides the simplest musical theme in plain sight: one note. Alex looks at the end of movement 3, where Bach gives a pedal point E to the viola da gamba, asking for over 30 seconds of one sustained note on this instrument. Simple, yes, but perfectly aligned with the notes around it. It's…

1
Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (BWV 61) recit.: ”Der Heiland ist gekommen” 20:32

8M ago20:32

20:32

At the beginning of our podcast seasons, we always look at a new part of BWV 61. This week Christian chooses an unusual bass trill from the sparkling tenor recitative. For this moment Bach opens up the narrating voice and enters a half-aria section so that the singer can repeat the words "You come and let your light shine with full blessing." The l…

1
Nun danket alle Gott (BWV 192): opening chorus 27:04

8M ago27:04

27:04

Welcome to Season 4! Thanks so much to all our listeners! Today we give thanks -- not just for all of you wonderful listeners, but for Bach's creativity in the opening chorus of this cantata, which he based on the classic Lutheran chorale "Now Thank We All Our God". We explore the origin of the poetry by Martin Rinckart, a man who, like Job from th…

1
BONUS: Post-concert chat: Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben (BWV 147) with soprano Emily Wood (BACHTOBERFEST bonus 1 of 2) 11:57

1y ago11:57

11:57

In this bonus episode, we have a chat with soprano Emily Wood, a featured soloist in the recent concert performance of BWV 147 at Alex's church. We hear about Emily's personal experience singing this wonderfully challenging solo which is nestled in the very heart of this cantata; we also reflect on the whole 10-movement masterpiece. Audio recording…

1
BACHTOBERFEST season closer & ”So oft ich meine Tobackspfeife” (BWV 515) 30:37

1y ago30:37

30:37

Listeners! Thank you for 100,000 episode downloads! It's Bachtoberfest, which means we talk about a silly piece by Bach -- this year's is a little parable about a tobacco pipe. We also read some of your comments and suggestions, we drink some Hefeweizen, and we talk about our plans for season 4, coming in 2024. TWO MORE BONUS EPISODES are on their …

1
Prelude From BWV 998 for lute (with Giovanni Piacentini) 24:51

1y ago24:51

24:51

Composer and guitarist Giovanni Piacentini joins us today with guitar in hand and an enthusiasm to share with us one of Bach's most surprising moments. Bach's "Prelude, Fugue and Allegro" is designated for lute or harpsichord. Classical guitarists have long enjoyed the work, which is successfully adapted to the guitar. Near the end of the prelude, …

1
Trauerode (BWV 198): tenor aria 21:35

1y ago21:35

21:35

Today we take a suggestion from listener Dave, and dive into the wonderfully rich "Trauerode", which was written for the funeral of a princess. Bach put some extra effort into the instrumentation and orchestration. Here we have an aria with not just one complex obligatto instrument line, but three separate obligatto instrument lines (flute, oboe, v…

1
Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr (organ chorale prelude, BWV 664) 17:31

1y ago17:31

17:31

Closing out this set of three chorale preludes on its Trinitarian hymn tune, this sparkly trio (of angels?) dances up and down the organ console. The Three-ness is evident in this piece meant to evoke the third part of the Trinity, the breath-giving Holy Spirit. Three bars by three bars make up the first nine, and three bass notes begin the prelude…

1
Ricercar a 3 from The Musical Offering (BWV 1079) 23:37

1y ago23:37

23:37

When the King of Prussia requested Bach's presence for a visit, Bach probably expected to be asked to improvise some complex music on the king's prototype fortepiano. But did he expect the king to give him such a twisty, chromatic theme? And, after he played an extemporaneous 3-part fugue successfully, was it then even more unfair for the king to a…

1
Fugue in D major (Well-Tempered Clavier Book 2) 26:56

1y ago26:56

26:56

In this episode we concern ourselves with the inner workings of the fugue. The fugue of the D major set from Book 2 of the Well-Tempered Clavier makes for an excellent study. It is made of a pliable, connectible subject which Bach treats as two small motives. These lend themselves to layering, overlapping, and echoing of all kinds. The atomic build…

1
Ihr werdet weinen und heulen (BWV 103): opening chorus 37:10

1y ago37:10

37:10

Listening to this, perhaps Bach's weirdest opening chorus (and that's saying a lot!), Alex and Christian get tangled up in the forest of the complexities of this music. We untangle some, but we also sit in and admire the thorniness of this piece of music, which perfectly portrays its text. And we talk about how Bach can make us feel existential fea…

1
Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes (BWV 40): ”Christenkinder” aria 14:10

1y ago14:10

14:10

Bach's Christmas cantata "Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes" is resplendent with the joy of the season with its festive horns throughout. But in the tenor aria, Bach offers a more delicate excitement from the horns. In dialogue with the oboes, the horns offer the child-like wonder and excitement of the "Christenkinder" (Christ's children). A mid…

1
Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr (organ chorale prelude, BWV 663) 20:56

1y ago20:56

20:56

Bach's organ chorales are some of his best-known works for the instrument. He had a way of clothing the simple hymn tunes with layers of heavy material. The final product becomes something almost unrecognizable, and yet you can feel the essence of the tune hiding in there somewhere... When you look for it, it's woven into the fabric of the work. If…

1
Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht (BWV 105): opening and closing 22:54

1y ago22:54

22:54

Sir John Eliot Gardiner writes about this cantata: "[Bach] recognized that small lives do not seem small to the people who live them." Bach had an interest in portraying the ordinary anxiety of the guilt-ridden person. Nowhere is this more evident than in Cantata 105 where he focuses on the human rather than the divine. Voices plead "Lord! Lord! En…

1
Fugue no. 23 in B major (Well-Tempered Clavier Book 2) 17:01

1+ y ago17:01

17:01

Bach the composer, Bach the educator, Bach the church music director, Bach the scholar, Bach the instrument inventor... Johann Sebastian Bach was so many things. In this episode, we focus on Bach the innovator of keyboard technique -- specifically, a style of playing which facilitated the complexities of the music he put on the page. Familiar with …

1
Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich (BWV 150) (part 2 of 2) 33:05

1+ y ago33:05

33:05

Bach's first church works were anything but plain and dull. Untouched by Italian style, firmly in German Lutheran tradition, this very first known Bach cantata shines and surprises at every turn through its mazy passages. This is the second part in a two-part miniseries on the masterwork BWV 150 (Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich). See the previous po…

1
Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich (BWV 150) (part 1 of 2) 35:05

1+ y ago35:05

35:05

Grab a score (or open the link) and follow along with us in an exploration of Bach's first known cantata. This straightforward psalm setting keeps us on our toes as it changes with almost every line of text, including the sublime and ancient sound of the "Leite mich" (lead me) chorus moment. Why doesn't Bach follow the rules of harmonic progression…

1
Mass in B minor: Confiteor/et expecto (part 2 of 2) 22:04

1+ y ago22:04

22:04

Welcome back -- this is Part 2 of our 2-part series on a pivotal moment during the "Et expecto" section of the Mass in B minor. If you haven't caught Part 1 yet, which was released last week, we suggest you start there. In this episode we go more in-depth with harmony than we ever have on this podcast. If you want to follow along with the twists an…

1
Mass in B minor: Confiteor/et expecto (part 1 of 2) 18:52

1+ y ago18:52

18:52

Always know where you're going. Today is part 1 of a 2-part series on one of the famous moments of Bach -- the transition from "Confiteor" to "Et expecto" at a dramatic moment in the Mass in B minor. Rather than jump right into the final, festive section that describes the eternal joy of the resurrection of the dead, Bach first gives us a slow, sea…

1
BONUS: J.S. Bach-Stiftung BWV 61 ”Amen, amen!” recording review and comparison 13:19

1+ y ago13:19

13:19

In this bonus episode, we return to the transcendent joy of the final chorale of BWV 61 "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland" to review a recording from the J. S. Bach Foundation (J.S. Bach-Stiftung). The lightning speed pleads for Jesus the "Crown of Joy" to return without delay in this performance directed by Rudolf Lutz. Thank you to the J. S. Bach Fou…

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